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Great Robot Race, The
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Ideas from Teachers
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(Gr. 7-8)
Objective
To experience hands-on learning about robotic vehicles.
Materials
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NOVA's
"The Great Robot Race" Web site
- LEGO® elements
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RCX brick (a programmable microcomputer by LEGO Mindstorms®
that students can program using a computer and the ROBOLAB®
software)
- 9-volt motors
- light sensors
- touch sensors
- wheels
- connection wires
Procedure
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This activity is sort of a small-scale model version of the
DARPA challenge. The robotic cars that students build have
light, touch, and/or rotation sensors to "sense" the environment
which is made out of LEGO parts and other materials (see
photo
of obstacle course). There is a limitation on the size of the
robotic car, but students make their own decisions on what
sensors they want to use.
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Have students do a short research report about how robots are
used today. Have them share information from their reports with
the class as a discussion.
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Next, have students view video clips on the computer from the
Meet the Teams feature.
Randomly assign each student two teams to write a summary about
(have each student pick from a pool of team names written on
separate slips of paper and put in box made of LEGO bricks).
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Before viewing the program, provide students with a guide sheet
of questions about the program to be discussed after viewing.
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Prior to building of the robotic cars, review the LEGO
Mindstorms Robolab programming techniques that will instruct the
robot how to go forward, backward, turn, and use input sensors.
Show students the obstacle course their robotic cars will be
running. Have students form teams of three and select a name for
their team.
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Have half of the teams build while the others view the video and
and write responses to the video clips from the
Video Extras feature, and
What Robots See slide show.
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When all the robotic cars are ready, everyone is called to
competition. The winning car is determined by how far the car
completes the course and time.
Assessment
A rubric is used to evaluate the students' project as a whole. It
includes the quality of the research report, the two summaries of
the Meet the Team video, robotic car design, writing a Robolab
program for their car, and the success of their robotic car on the
obstacle course.
Classroom Tips
If you have limited workspace or computers, rotate the teams to work
on their robots, and viewing of the videos and research.
Sent in by
Veryl Greene
MS 217Q
Jamaica, NY
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